Out Of The Fire And Into The Flames ((Heather))

[Heidi Rebecca Fleming]

Heidi leashed Sooty’s collar on quickly, murmuring soft words into his ear as she gave her silver Labrador a quick hug before tugging him along towards her fireplace. She had only recently installed the Floo network in her home, and though it had been expensive, and Heidi could apparate, it was useful for Maria and quite the necessity when it came to transporting more than one person – or animal. Heidi glanced down reproachfully at Sooty again. She had taken him to Diagon Alley before, but never via Floo. Hoping the ride would be okay for the young and excitable puppy, Heidi sighed and proceeded to shove Sooty’s body into the fireplace. Confused, the dog gazed up at Heidi with large round eyes, so innocent Heidi remembered all over again why she and her mother had picked Sooty out of all available dogs at the adoption centre one year ago. “C’mon now, boy.” Heidi murmured again to soothe him. “We’re off on a trip. A wild ride. It’ll make a difference rather than having the same boring old walk in London, eh?” Heidi grinned, knowing she didn’t mean the things she slated about the capitol. She loved London, really. Sooty, she wasn’t so sure. There were too many things around him that excited him easily, which only caused trouble for Maria and Heidi. Sooty was probably in love with London, if his tail was anything to go by!

“You’ve been to Diagon Alley before.” Heidi added more to herself than the dog to reassure her conscience as she stepped into the fireplace beside Sooty. Her hand contained a handful of the typical Floo powder and she threw it down quickly before she regretted bringing Sooty along for the ride. “Diagon Alley!” Heidi spoke clearly, before she felt the usual sensations ripple up her body, and Sooty’s immediate loud barking that signalled no franticness or anxiety, rather, excitement. Rolling her eyes at Sooty’s typical behaviour, Heidi reached into her pocket during the blurry trip and silenced Sooty’s barking with the Silencio spell. Seconds later, the pair arrived in a shop in Diagon Alley, where Heidi reeled a little from the aftermath of the impact, and groped forward for support. She found it in the form of a shoulder, and grabbed onto it instinctively. Sooty leapt forward too, seemingly unfazed by the ride, and continued to bark silently as he jumped around Heidi’s legs. Suddenly, the decision to walk Sooty and visit Diagon Alley for supplies at the same time seemed a foolish idea.

Groaning, Heidi shook her head and quickly retracted her stray hand. “So sorry.” She forced out after a few coughs. “That wasn’t the smoothest Floo ride I’ve ever had.” Smiling wryly, she looked up to see who her pillar of support had been, only to see a young girl’s face looking in surprise at her. “Sorry.” Heidi offered again as she reached down to grab Sooty by the collar. She glanced up at the blonde haired girl again, analysing her thin features and concluding that she was younger than her, but by how much Heidi wasn’t sure. She didn’t look like a student anymore, at least, and there was something familiar about the girl too. “Sooty, behave yourself!” Heidi scolded with a fixed glare at the muted puppy when he attempted to leap at the young woman’s legs. “Sorry about him too.” Heidi flashed an apologetic smile at her companion. “I’m Heidi, by the way.” She stuck a hand forward quickly, wanting to diffuse any tension or offence that lingered in case this girl was a moody, unfriendly person. "And this is my pesky dog, Sooty. He wants to say hello." She smiled apologetically again as she bent down to decrease the length of his lead.

[Heather Foster]

Heather rubbed her neck tenderly as she set the clip board aside on the marble counter. I was becoming a challenge for her to keep concentrated lately. Ever since she had received that letter from Switzerland, her mind had been cluttered. It was amazing enough that the head of the Gringotts bank’s curse breaker had recommended taking an internship down in Switzerland. Heather never really believed in her abilities on the job. She didn’t have any self esteem issues it was just that she kept on messing up, especially during her first month. She had melted the metal off the vault when trying to add a complicated spell. It took almost a week replacing the vault, and she had most definitely gotten a hard time from the goblins. She hated those creatures now. Heather was quite a patient young adult, but even she had certain cords that could be struck, and that’s where Drowsy came in. Drowsy was her so called ‘mentor’ in her first year at working in the bank. Really all he did was criticizing her every action. Yes, she was a complete klutz and tripped over her own two feet, but he honestly didn’t need to go as far as leaving her behind in one of the vaults. Maybe he had done that intentionally, because it wasn’t the first time she had gotten locked inside those steel walls. She had her far share of being stuck, but it taught her how to get out. It also taught her how to react in different situations that might happen on the job. Deep down inside, Heather knew that Drowsy wasn’t such a crabby old goblin who hated the world, but had some good feelings inside of himself. That was the only thing that kept Heather from lashing out at him. It was lucky that she had such good optimism. It was good to be getting away from the banking world ran by goblins. Switzerland didn’t have any goblins in the bank she was going to work at. Maybe that was the soul reason whys he was leaving.

“Why are you just standing there!” a low growl came from behind, causing Heather’s hear to jolt. Turning around, she stared down at the goblin, sighing as it was only Drowsy. “I was only trying to look through these papers. Is there a vault that needs to be fixed?” she asked grabbing the clip board from the counter. The goblin just shook his head, muttering darkly under his breath. Oh how much she was going to miss this. The only thing that Heather was truly going to miss was Justin. She hadn’t talked to him since she broke the news to him. Maybe she should send him an owl…. “There is always work to be done around here, Ms. Foster!” he partially shouted up at her, his black eyes meeting hers. Sighing, Heather made her way around him, pushing the doors that led to the vaults. There was only one cart open available, which meant that the other four were being occupied. Climbing into the wooden contraction, Heather took out her wand, flicking it just barely, the cart zooming straight forward. Grabbing hold on the railing, Heather closed her eyes for a brief second before being jolted forward. Running her fingers through her blonde hair, Heather climbed out of the cart, stepping inside the office where everyone turned in their papers before getting off duty. Heather had finished all her rounds for the day, so she couldn’t possibly do anything else that Drowsy had complained about. Well, she could sweep around the place, but all Heather wanted to do was grab a bite to eat. Hearing her stomach growl, Heather sighed as she hung her clip board on the wall. Signing out, Heather stepped back into the cart and within seconds was walking down the long marble isle out of the bank.

Running her fingers back through her hair, Heather slipped her wand back into her pocket. She wasn’t in any kind of mood for ice cream, since the weather was getting increasingly warm outside. Lost in her thoughts, Heather gasped as someone grabbed tightly to her shoulder. Turning around she noticed another girl tied up in a leash, a small dog jumping up at Heather. Smiling, Heather bent down on her knees helping the girl get untied. Scratching the pup behind the ears, Heather looked up as she introduced herself as Heidi, and the dog, Sooty. “I’m Heather. It’s alright, I know the feeling. I have my own dog and he’s quite energetic as well.” Nodding her head, Heather gave the dog one last pet before standing up. “Where you just-” stopping as the dog leapt forward, Heather watched as he yanked the leash right out of the girl’s hand. Watching the animal extend its small legs into a run, Heather grabbed the girl’s wrist. “Scratch that thought! Come one before he goes into Knockturn Alley!” Racing forward, Heather fumbled in her pocket for her wand. Maybe she could slow the dogs motions down get in time to catch him.

[Heidi Rebecca Fleming]

((Not my best; I am so, so tired! My apologies also for taking so long to reply.))

Heidi smiled in greeting at Heather, before a flash of recognition hit her again. There was something awfully familiar about this young woman… However, Heidi just couldn’t tell where she knew her from. “Dogs are wonderful creatures, even if they are a handful.” Heidi smiled wryly as Sooty did his own introduction for Heather, before addressing the déjà vu issue that was striking her so much. “Heather, do I know--” However, before Heidi could finish, or Heather for that matter, Sooty jumped high in the air, the strong force causing the leash to snap out of Heidi’s hand. Free at last from her tight grip, an overexcited Sooty gave a loud bark and ran straight out of the shop. “Hey!” Heidi shouted in alarm, taking a step forward with wide eyes. “Sooty, get back here right now!” Her loud calls were in vain though, as the blur of silver was already fading quickly from the window Heidi was tracking her dog from. “Oh, damn.” Heidi muttered, staring after Sooty despairingly. “Mum’s gonna kill me.”

However, before Heidi could lament further, Heather had grabbed her hand, trying to force her out of the shop after Sooty. Without a further glance at the probably ruffled shopkeeper, Heidi followed Heather out of the door without protest into the busy alleyway, the crowds making Sooty’s figure even harder to make out; Heather made a very valid point; Heidi couldn’t possibly let Sooty into Knockturn Alley, then she would never find him again. It surprised her though that Heather had been quite so forward and friendly with her; Heidi herself was an open person by nature, but she didn’t meet many people with the same trait as her. Heather struck her as a kind, friendly person, willing to lay her time and efforts down for other people, and Heidi was already appreciative for her concern over her lost dog, which had nothing to do with her. Watching Heather try and grab her wand, Heidi made a quick decision on the spot and tightened her grip on Heather’s wrist again. Her gaze followed the flash of silver up ahead through the crowds, making sure Sooty wasn’t out of her sight, before turning to Heather again.

“Don’t cast anything. Just hold on,” Heidi instructed firmly as her free hand went to her pocket for her wand also. Immediately Heidi apparated her and Heather further up the street where she knew Sooty would pass by. Hoping the short and spontaneous journey hadn’t disorientated and surprised Heather too much, Heidi retrieved her wand and motioned for her to do the same. “He’s coming, get ready.” Heidi warned, turning around to point in the direction they had just come from. As she had predicted, Sooty could be seen lolloping straight at them, an excited blur of silver through the crowd that barely noticed the animal visitor. “C’mon, Sooty,” Heidi bent a little to gaze through the many legs in the way. Before the Labrador reached them, Heidi looked up at Heather with a grateful smile, apologetic and humoured at the same time. “Sorry to drag you into this, Heather.” Before Heather could reply, Sooty was onto them, and Heidi diverted her attention. “You cast a spell, I’ll do the leash!” Heidi ordered quickly, the lead in one hand and her wand in the other in case of an emergency.